Purpose: :
Recurrent acute anterior uveitis (AAU) is challenging and chroniccorticosteroid therapy is commonly used for its treatment. Wepresent a study of the use of prophylactic oral non steroidalanti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), in the prevention of recurrencesof uveitis in patients with AAU.

Methods: :
Clinical records of 59 patients with a diagnosis of recurrentAAU between May 2005 and April 2008 who were treated with NSAIDs(celecoxib or diflunisal) and with a follow-up of one year wereevaluated. Multiple variables were assessed including the timeand duration of systemic NSAID use, and the recurrences of inflammationprior to and after administration of NSAID therapy. Statisticalanalysis was performed using the Wilcoxon test to compare thedifferences in relapses prior to and during NSAID treatment.The Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the differences infollow up and remission between- celecoxib and diflunisal; HLA-B27positive and negative, and male and female groups.

Results: :
The average age at presentation was 43 ± 11.7 years.The average duration of NSAID therapy was 21.2 ± 5.7months. The average number of relapses for all patients priorto systemic NSAID therapy was 2.84 per person- year follow-up.These relapses declined to 0.53 per person- year follow-up whileon NSAID therapy which was statistically significant at p <0.001. The average follow-up for the celecoxib group was 21.9months and the average follow-up in the diflunisal group was18.56 months. Patients on celecoxib therapy remained in remissionlonger (21 ± 5.50 months) than patients on diflunisaltherapy (15.34 ± 5.78 months) with p < 0.001. Therelapse rate prior to treatment with NSAID in the HLA-B27 positivegroup (n=21) was 2.24 which dropped to 0.24 while on NSAIDs.The relapse rate prior to treatment in the HLA-B27 negativegroup (n=38) was 2.97 which decreased to 0.66 with treatment.The difference in the relapse rate prior to and during NSAIDtherapy in both groups was statistically significant at p <0.001.

Conclusions: :
The relapse rate of uveitis is significantly reduced in patientswith recurrent AAU who are treated with oral NSAIDS with systemicNSAID therapy providing respite from more frequent morbid attacks.